1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a kaleidoscopic toy and more particularly to a kaleidoscopic toy which, although it has no moving parts, is able to provide a plurality of optical effects.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 407,937, entitled Kaleidoscope, issued to Joseph W. Lovibond on July 30, 1889, teaches the combination, with a kaleidoscope, of two or more disks placed in front of one another and independently movable by rolling, as described, in the field of view of the instrument, one or more of the disks being translucent and party-colored or made of differently-colored segments united together to form a solid disk, and one or more of the disks being opaque with through-apertures, as and for the purpose specified.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,383,150, entitled Kaleidoscopic Viewing Device, issued to Edgar A. Powers on May 14, 1968, teaches a kaleidoscopic viewing device which includes an elongated cylindrical tubular body member, an eyepiece secured to one end of the body member, an axially disposed sight opening in the eyepiece, an object enclosure secured to the other end of the body member, a multiplicity of pattern producing objects disposed within the object enclosure, and a handle by which the device is adapted to be held during use secured to the body member. The object enclosure includes a hermetically sealed hollow globe of greater diameter than the diameter of the body member which is formed of transparent material and is substantially filled with a clear transparent liquid. The pattern producing objects include a variety of glittering particles of matter which vary as to size, shape, color and density from glittering powders of microscopic size to conventional sized objects of varying compositions and contrasting specific gravity whereby some of the objects will gradually sink in said liquid, and others will rise in the liquid and float thereon and others will remain suspended in the liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,116, entitled Optical Toy, issued to Guy Williams on Oct. 17, 1978, teaches a toy which includes a circular tubular member with a mirrored inner surface. The tubular member contains a transparent sphere rollable through the interior of the tubular member. The tubular member has a retainer on each end for preventing the sphere from passing from the tubular member. The retainer forms an eyepiece to permit viewing and has a prismatic refraction device positioned over the outer end of the tubular member.
Other patents which teach kaleidoscopic devices include U.S. Pat. No. 3,242,799, U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,512 and U.S. Pat. No. 984,198.
The kaleidoscopic devices of the prior art provide an infinite variety of optical shapes and patterns none of which are reproduceable.